It’s perhaps the toughest policing role – but also one of the most important: Protecting children from sexual exploition.

The exploitation of children aged under 18 has always been present, but referrals have risen dramatically.

It’s a problem that affects every area of the county, says Det Sgt Nigel Hatten, whether it’s a Cotswold village or the housing estates of Cheltenham and Gloucester.

The range of cases that he and his team tackle varies widely, whether it’s criminal gangs sexually exploiting young girls and boys, older teenagers abusing younger children or online grooming of children by predatory paedophiles.

Det Sgt Hatten, who heads up the team, says that increase in reporting is something positive. It means that there is a greater awareness of child sexual exploitation (CSE) and more professionals and public are coming forward and identifying children at risk.

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“It shows we are getting the message out there. There has been a lot of work around this and it’s a real positive. CSE has always been around and we don’t realise that boys are also victims.”

CSE is an over-arching term, and might include other sexual offences such as rape, child trafficking and abuse.

“The key element is an imbalance of power between the suspect and the victim, and involves any child under 18. The child is encouraged to gain something for performing sexual activity, or some financial gain. It could be drugs, alcohol, money or it could be simply affection,” said Mr Hatten.

“And it can occur online or offline.”

Nigel Hatten gets a Queen's Police Medal

Awareness was heightened by the BBC drama Three Girls screened in May which dramatised the systematic sexual abuse of girls in Rochdale.

The CSE team was set up in 2013 and brings together expertise from the police as well as working alongside senior social workers, voluntary organisation and charities such as The Nelson Trust.

Det Sgt Hatten joined the constabulary in 1992 and has spent ten years working to protect children from some of the most horrific crimes for 24 years. Last week he was awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his for distinguished services to policing.